Bell-ringing mechanism



Oct. 23, 1928.

T. C. MALEY BELL RINGING MECHANISM Filed June 28, 1926 ahvefltoz THOM45 6. MALE) 'ete r, the flag is in a'vertical position to .de-

the flag has been moved from the position v Patented 0st. 23, 1928 p UNITED PATENT oFFic mnoMns. o. MALEY, OF narrow, OHIO; ASSIGNORTO OI-IMER. FARn' Eors'TnR com- PANY, on DAYTON, OHIO, A

coRPoRA'rroN on NEW YORK.

RELL RINGING MECHANISM.

Application. filed June 23,

This invention relates to a bell ringing mechanism and in particular is adapted for use in a taximeter, in which the flag may be moved either forwardly or 'reversely.

It is well known that in a modern taximnote that the cab is vacantzorv for hire, it is in first tariff positionwhen it has been rotated clockwise 90 from the vertical posi-' tion, it is hired but is not registering when it has been-rotatedv180 clockwise, and is in second tariff position when it has been r0- tated- 270 clockwise.

first tarifi' position or 1ts only tariflposition when the flag is inthe 90 or 27 0 position. The flag is only placed in the 180 POSltlOIl.

when the taxicab, after being hired, is detained on account of a breakdown, puncture,

or for other cause not attributable to'the passenger and for which he should not be charged. V Ordinarily the flag is rotated clock-, wise only, but it is not infrequent that it is necessary to rotate the flag anticlockwise, and for that reason taximeters are so con-- structed that the flag may be rotated antithe 90 position. 5

actuate a lever to ring a bell to denote that in which itwas to another position, but obViously if the anti-clockwise.

It is the objectof this inventiontoprovide meanswhereby a bell wouldjbe rungeachtime the flag is moved from one of its'four positions into another position, regardlessof whether the flag is rotated clockwise or anticlockwise. .1 v 7 While I have shown the'invention in"con-' 'nection with at-aximeter, I do not limit its use thereto for obviously itcould housed in any relation in which it would be desirable to ring a rotated'a predetermined distance, such as 90. Int-he drawingagin which like refer- In many cities, only one tariff is employed and'in'such-citiesthe, taximeter is adjusted so that it w1l l bev in;

If the flag were rotatedv in one direction only, a jumping cam' might'be employedto:

a jumping cam could not be employed a flag is to be rotated either clockwise or bell to denote that afisha ft has been 1926. Serial 110,119,064.

throughout to a} parts would be when the flag is in vaca-nt r 7 position and the dotted lines showing theposition in which the parts wouldbeimmediately prior to the, ringing of the-bell.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailed View, showlng the parts in the position in which they would'be at. the instant the-lever starts. its movement to ring the bell, and,

Figure 3 is a detailed cross sectional View on theline 33 of Figure 1, looking in the 7 direction of the arrows;

. Referring more particularlyto the draw ings, the flag 10 ismounted on a conventional flag shaft 11, on which is rigidlyfmounted a cam:12. The-cam 12 is'normally rotated in :the reverse dire'ctionfrom that shown by the arrow in Figure 2'.- The cam 12' is, roughly speaking; a square, withieachz; of the, angles thereof slightly less'thanaright angle. Each .ofthe sides ofthe cam is composedof three straight lines; a line a which'would ibe-perpendicular to a linedra wn from its midpoint to the center of the shaft 11.-an d lines?) and cflconnected to the line-a and forming almost a straight angle therewith, which, lines band 0' extendfromthe line 'ato adjacent corners ofthe cam 12; The shaft'll-ismounted on xtheback wall of zthe'-taxiineter,not shown." A crossbar 13 is secured to tl'ie'side walls,

not. shown, ofwthe" taximeterand-"is rigid therewith. A lever 14 ispivotally connected tot-he crossbar 13 by means of a stud-pin 15.

The shape of'the-lever14is'clearly shownin.

Figure 1.; The lever is normallypulled upspring 16, secured to the lever Handvtothe cross bar 13. A clapper 17 is-ca'rried at the.

outer end of the lever T14,which clapper carrie's a sliding pin l8iwhich ex'tends through "a. hole 19 in the lever 14:- Thepin18 is .pro-

,vided at its outer end with an abutmentQO held in place b'yme'ans of apinni: Between ioo the lever 14. The detent 24% islocated beneath the cam 12 and its movement to either side is limited by means of the stop pins and 26;

It is, however, normally held against the stop pin25 by means of a spring 27. The upper portion of the detent'24iis bifurcated and. the

, bifurcated extremities thereof are joinedby an arc of aici'rcle which receives one of the points of the'cam 12. V

The lever 14 carries a stop pin 28 whichengages the under side of the cross bar 13 as the lever l l moves upwardly, so thatthe clapper 17 will move against the tension of thespring 22 so as to strike and ring the bell 29, the

spring, 22 immediately moving the clapper away from the bell, so that it can resound.

' Figure 1 shows the parts inthej-position; in

which they wouldbe when the flag is in its vertical position denot-ingthat the cab is for hire. Assoon-as the cab is employed, the driver moves the flag 10 in a clockwise direction as viewed'inFigurel. The lowermost vertex of the cam12 slides on the arc'of a circle forming the left-hand arm of the bifur cated deten-t 24 moving the same againstthe stop pin 25. As soon as the detent 24 reaches the stop pin 25, the right-hand extremity .beingi subsequently in engagement with the r parts a and 0 .of the'cam 12 the detent is dedetent 24: moves in a clockwise direction, so that the vertex 31 rests against approximately the mid-portion of the are connecting the arms n) of the detent2 l. The ringing of the bell-takes I place at approximately the moment when the positions' flag 10 reaches its 90, 180, 270,or vacant 'The flag'icannot be'rotated reversely from its vacant positio'n'to the270 position, nor

from its 90 position to itsvacant position being held against such movement by any suitable mechanism not shown. It can, howi ever, be rotated from the 270 positioninto the rotated, it would move according to the arrow shown in Figure 1, and the operation would be precisely the, reverse of that described .above.

. It has been found in practice that if the spring27 beomitted the device will function as a general rule, but sometimesthe detent fallsback of one of the vertices of the cam 12, in which case the bell would not be rung. The

spring 27, therefore, has'the important function ofrpositioning the detent 24 so as to in sure the ringing of the bell everytime the flag 10 is moved for degrees; 7

1 While I have-shown my invention,-by-, way of illustrat on, as forming a part of a taximeter, I do not desire to limit myself to' such a construction but desire to claim my t 1. I11 a bell ringing mechanism, a star cam, means whereby said cam is rotated in either direction, a lever, a pivoted detent carried'by said lever and co-acting with said cam,

spring means normally urging saidv detent toward said cam, a bell and means carried by said lever to'ring said bell when thecam' s rotated "in either directionlfor a predetermined distance. h y

2. In a bell ringing mechanism, a cam rotatable either forward oribackwards, a piv-o otedlever, an oscillatable detent carried by said lever'co-acting with said cam, aspring urging said detent toward said cam,a bell and means carried by said lever to ringsaid bell when said cam is rotating for a 'predeter-v mined distance in eitherdirection.

3. In a bell ringing mechanism, a'rotatable cam, a lever, an oscillatable detent-pivoted to said lever,"a' clapper-carried by said lever,

stop pins carried by said lever to limit the movement of saidvdetent, said detent being bifurcated forming two arms separated by an arcuate cutaway portion adapted tore- 'ceive said cam,za bell and spring means attached tosaid lever to pull the same toward said bell when said cam passes beyond either of said arms; 1 V 4:. In a' bell rmgingfmechanism, a starshap'ed cam-adapted' to be'rotated in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, a le ver, a clapper carried bysaid lever, a detent provided with arms, the extremities of which are adap-tedtoengage the sides of said cam, a pin carried by said lever on which said detent is pivotally mounted, stop pins carried by said lever to limit the movement of said de tent, said cam moving, saiddeteht against "one of the stop pins'and then depressing said V odetent and lever as itis rotated until one of the points ofthe cam passes over the'extrem; ity-of one of the arms andaspring meanstov 180 or the 90 positions; If it is reversely be rungby themovementjof saidileverj-as' it moves toward said cam Y v 1 .5. In a, bell ringlng mechanism, a star shaped cam adapted to -be rotated in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction, a lever, a clapper carried'by said lever, a'detent provided Witharms, the extremities of which are-adapted to engage the sides of said cam,

a pin carried by said lever on which said detentis pivotally mounted, stopgpins carried by-said lever to limit the movement of said detent, said cam-moving said detent'against one of the stop pins and'then depressingv said detent andlever as it is rotated until one of l-lo i the points of the cam passes over the extremity of one of the arms, and spring means to thereupon trip said detent and move said lever toward said cam, and a bell adapted to be rung by the movement of said lever as it moves toward said cam, and means whereby said detent is normally urged toward one of said stop pins. I

6. In a bell ringing mechanism, a rotatable cam substantially square but having each of its four angles slightly less than 90, a pivoted detent havingarmsadapted to straddle any one of the vertices of said cam and to engage adjacent sides thereof, a lever on Which said detent is mounted, a-clapper carried by said lever, a bell, and means whereby said bell is rung and said detent trippedso gas to permit said bell to becrung when said camis rotated in either direction a predetermined distance.

7. In a bell, ringing mechanism, a rotatable cam, a lever, a detent earned by said lever and serving as a tripping mechanism, a bell, a bell clapper carr1edby said lever, means whereby said detent is tripped and said lever urged rapidlytoward said bell, means Whereby the motion of said lever is arrested before the clapper reaches the bell, and springmeans to permit said clapper to touch said bell and to cause said clapper to then be Withdrawn from contact with said bell.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS C. MALEY. 

